Dispensing adaptor for disposable aerosol units



Dec. 23, 1958 D. H. GATTONE 2,865,370

DISPENSING ADAPTOR FOR DISPOSABLE AEROSOL UNITS Filed Sept. 6, 1957INVBNTOR JQYzeZ/Y gar/0w.

United States Patent DISPENSING ADAPTOR FOR DISPOSABLE AEROSOL UNITSDaniel H. Gattone, Drexel Hill, Pa., assignor to Birch & Gattone,Incorporated, a corporation of Delaware Application September 6, 1957,Serial No. 682,506 Claims. (Cl. 128-173) The present invention relatesto a dispensing adaptor for use with disposable aerosol units.

Heretofore there have been many dispensing adaptors and buttons for usewith valved aerosol units for soaps, detergents, insecticides and eventartificial snow and the like. However, these prior dispensing adaptorsand dispensing buttons have not been suitable for specialized uses, suchas for administering medicaments and the like to body cavities inanimals and humans, which special use requires measured dosages,nebulization and proper velocity of each dosage 'with proper control ofparticle sizes for use in inhalation therapy treatment and the like.

, It is an object of this invention to provide a novel dispensingadaptor for aerosol containers or pressurized units, which is highlyefficient for administering the contents of aerosol or pressurized unitsin a manner to permit proper nebulization and discharge of medicamentsfor body cavity treatment and/or for inhalation therapeutic uses ofsolutions, powders or combinations thereof.

Another object is to provide a dispensing adaptor, formed to detachablycouple direct to a valved aerosol or pressurized unit.

Still another object is to combine in a single molded unit a dispensingadaptor, a valve actuator, a nebulizer, and an outlet directing nozzlefor quick-detachable and indexed connection with a disposable aerosolpackage.

A further object is to provide in the dispensing adaptor unit, anaerosol projection increasing means for stepping up the velocity of acalibrated metered discharge and known pressure in an aerosol unit usedtherewith.

A further object is to provide means in the dispensing adaptor forcollecting excess medication during use.

Yet another object is to provide interchangeable nozzle means for thedispensing adaptor to provide for individual body cavity application ofaerosolized medicaments and the like A further object is to provideindex means adapted to position the dispensing adaptor outlet properlyfor discharge of the aerosol unit through the adaptors nozzle when thesame is coupled to an aerosol unit for use and whereby the aerosol unitwhen empty is disposable and may be replaced with another unit.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combinalion of parts hereinafter describedand particularly pointed out in the claims, it being understood that Ido not intend to limit myself to the details of construction.

In the drawings like parts throughout the several views are given likenumerals and are thus identified in the following detailed description.

Figure l is an elevational view of a suitable pressurized container witha longitudinal cross section view of the novel dispensing adaptor meansin position thereon and with several special forms of tips forinterchangeable use therewith;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the adaptor means removed from thecontainer;

Figure 3 is a transverse cross section view taken on 2 line 3-3 ofFigure 1, disclosing the cooperating index means of the adaptor skirtand the container;

Figure 4 is a detail view of the upper portion of the container with theadaptor means removed; and

Figure 5 is a cross section view of a form of nozzle extensionattachable to the nozzle shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail and first with respect to Figure 1,there is disclosed a pressurized container 10 with a longitudinal indexkey or rib 11. The container may be formed of metal, glass or plastic.These aerosol units or containers are disposable and if made of metalmay be interiorly treated or coated, or if glass may be coated withsuitable plastic either interiorly or exteriorly.

The top of the container is formed with the usual flange or lip to stakein the valve body 12 from which extends a hollow valve stem 13, withcurved tip 14, which acts as a cam follower as hereinafter explained.The valve used may be of any standard type and of either the continuousor the metered type, such as disclosed in prior Patent 2,788,784, issuedApril 16, 1957, if a continuous or if metered, such as disclosed forexample in the patent application Serial No. 647,352, for Means forAdministering Pressurized Medicaments, Gases, Combinations Thereof andLiquids Into Body Cavities, Herbert Birch and Daniel H. Gattone,inventors.

For use with the container 10 there is provided a novel nebulizing anddispensing adaptor comprising a hollow pushed out index groove 18. Thisgroove 18 isadapted to slidably receive the index key or rib 11 when theadaptor is placed over the valve end of the container 10.

The interior of the hollow body 15 is formed with a conical plate 19centrally formed with an eye, at the apex thereof, such as a bushedopening 20, which slidably fits over the valve stem 13. The plate 19from the bushed' opening 20 slopes downwardly to the sides of the body15 above the skirt portion 17 and forms an annular trap or collectionchamber to catch excess medication during repeated use of the unit.

Above the plate 19 in the Wall of body 15 is an opening 20 see Figure 1,which admits air into the body as the valve 12 is opened. This airopening increases theprojection and velocity of the dispensing meansdischarging from the nozzle 16 and provides more eifective and morecomplete nebulization of the medium in the nebulizer chamber 21 of thebody 15.

The dispensing adaptor body 15 is interiorly formed with an enlargement22, which is positioned therein, so as to be indexed with respect to theindex rib 11 and groove 18, to thereby in turn position the curvedcombined cam and nebulizer surface 23 of the enlargement directly abovethe curved cam follower surface 14 of the valve stem 13. This indexfeature positively positions the discharge opening of the hollow valvestem toward the outlet of the tapered nozzle 16, to thereby providemaximum efficiency in action as will be apparent from the followingdescription of operation.

As illustrated in connection with Figures 1 and 5, various forms ofnozzle extensions may be used such as, the extensions 24 or 25, and mayinclude a final small end seal cap 26 to be applied when the unit is notin use.

Operation In the operation the user first takes a ready preparedpressurized container 10 and inserts the head thereof with the valvestem 13 into the adaptor means skirt portion 17, so that index key orrib 11 slides into the skirt index groove 18.

Then the user decaps the nozzle to be used and, for

example, holding the unit between thumb and forefinger directs thesame'toward the cavity, or he may insert same in the cavity, to betreated and thus presses downward upon the. exterior top surface of theenlargement 22. suchdownwardpressure causes 'the combined nebulizer andcam surface 23 to cam or engagewith the curved end 14 of thehollowvalve' stem 13; thereby opening the valve 12 and dischargingpressurized'medium against the surface 23 into the'nebulizer chamber 21from where it is projected through the nozzle 16 with the assistance ofthe airdrawninto the chamber 21' through opening 20 intothe cavitytreated.

Obviously,'any medicament may be discharged from the.container"10, suchmedicament may be all liquid or a combination of liquid and micronizedpowderedantibiotics' or a liquid with a gas or combination of gases,asprescribed; Obviously the propellant used depends upon the nature ofthe medicament.

Thus there is provided a self-nebulizing dispensing adaptor for aerosolthrow away units, which are filled with mediums, such as liquidmedicaments, or the like, which may be either for ethical or over thecounter commercial distribution.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the inventionis not limited thereto. Various changes may be made in the design andarrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, as will now likely occur to others skilled in the art. For adefinition of the limits of the invention, reference should be had tothe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A dispensing adaptor for use with disposable aerosol units having ahollow valve stem, comprising a hollow bodyformed with a coupling skirt,a centrally apertured plate mounted in the body above the skirtengageable over the 'valve stem, valve operating means carried by the.body positioned above the end of the valve stem, and a discharge nozzleextending from the said body, said valveoperating means including acurved surface, said surface being directed toward the discharge end ofsaid discharge nozzle by index means formed in said aerosol units andsaid skirt portion of the body.

2. A dispensing adaptor for use with disposable aerosol units having ahollow valve stem, comprising a hollow body formed with a couplingskirt, a centrally apertured plate mounted in the body above the skirtengageable over the valve stem, valve operating means carried by thebody positioned above the end of the valve stem, and a discharge nozzleextending from the said body, said valve operating means being anenlargement formed on a wall of the hollow body and including a combinedcam and nebuliz-er surface.

3. .A dispensing adaptor for use with disposable aerosol units having ahollow valve stem, comprising a hollow body formed with a couplingskirt, a centrally apertured plate mounted in the body above the skirtengageable over the valve stem, valve operating means carried by.thebody'positioned above the end of the valve stem, and. a discharge nozzleextending from the said body,

said valve stem being curved over at its tip for engagement with saidvalve operating means.

4. A dispensing adaptor for use with disposable aerosol units having ahollow valve stem, comprising a hollow body formed with a couplingskirt, a centrally apertured plate mounted in the body above the skirtengageable over the valve stem,'valve operating means carried by thebody positioned above the end of the valve stem, and a dischargenozzle'extending from the said body, said body being formed with an airopening, and said plate sloping downwardly to the sides ofthe body inthe provision of a collection chamber.

5. The dispensing adaptor described in claim 1, wherein the said indexmeans comprises an interengaging longitudinally extendingkey and alongitudinally extending groove.

6. A position indexed aerosol container having a valve with a hollowvalve stem, comprising a body with a longitudinal key formed from theside thereof, said valve being formed with a cam follower surface.

7. In combination, a dispensing adaptor for an aerosol unit, saidadaptor having an angular discharge male from a hollow body, said bodybeing formed with a longitudinal index guide groove; and an aerosolcontainer having a valve with a hollow valve stem, said stem having acurved tip, tothereby direct the stem opening toward the said nozzle,and a longitudinal index key formed from said container slidablyengageable in said index guide groove adapted to positively positionsaid stem outlet toward the nozzle.

8. The combination described in claim 7, wherein the said nozzleincludes interchangeable nozzle units engage-- able therewith. v

9. A dispensing adaptor for use with disposable aerosol units having ahollow valve stem, comprising a hol-' low body formed with a couplingskirt, a centrally'apertured plate mounted in the body above the skirtengageable over the valve stem, valve operating means carried by thebody positioned above the end of the valve stem, and a discharge nozzleextending from'the said body,

said body being formed with an air opening.

10. In combination, a dispensing adaptor for an aerosol unit, saidadaptor having an angular discharge nozzle from a hollow body, said bodybeing formed with a longitudinal index guide groove; and an aerosolcontainer having a valve with a hollow valve stem, said stem having acurved tip, to thereby direct the stem opening to-' ward the saidnozzle, and a longitudinal index key formed from said container slidablyengageable in said index guide groove adapted to positively positionsaid stem outlet toward the nozzle, said body being formed with an airinlet opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

